published by Surfrider Foundation Europe for the Reset Your Habits campaign

White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles Photographers Lachlan Dempsey Anastasia Taioglou Frank McKenna Benedicto de Jesus Andrew Martin Martin Sanchez Piotr Chrobot Arshad Pooloo Kaffeebart StartupStockPhotos Pezibear Michal Jarmoluk HeungSoon Karl Allen Lugmayer Surfrider Foundation Europe

Contact Diane BEAUMENAY-JOANNET Campaign manager for Reset Your Habits [email protected] www.surfrider.eu/en/resetyourhabits The difference between what we do and what we are capable « of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems. Mahatma Gandhi White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles

4 Introduction

Introduction

Plastic bottles, that best-selling Reset Your Habits focuses on consumer item, are designed for a disposable water bottles since they single use, and to be discarded once account for most of the waste bottles their contents have been emptied. found, even though drinking water Used daily, mainly outdoors, plastic from the tap is easily accessible in the bottles all too often end up in the European Union. environment, where they become a real scourge, notably for aquatic flora The massive pollution caused by and fauna. plastic items needs to be met with global, urgent and effective action. Plastic bottles, and their caps, feature The European Union can act as a in the top ten categories of litter leader in this fight, by means of most frequently encountered along its Strategy on Plastics in Circular coastlines, in the marine environment Economy, if sufficiently ambitious and in rivers. Faced with this scourge, and binding. Specifically, the EU Surfrider Foundation Europe has should call on Member States to adopt launched the campaign Reset Your concrete measures to counter plastic Habits to raise awareness, mobilise waste at source. The discontinuance and reach out to all to reduce, at of disposable plastic items, including source, pollution caused by plastic bottles, would be an action on a par bottles. with the considerable threat posed by plastic containers. Reset Your Habits is calling for broad and deep societal and behavioural This White Paper for an Ocean free changes, where we modify our from Plastic Bottles, written to the consumption and production habits intention of the European Union and in order to limit our ecological its Member States, groups some, impact. This means replacing but not all, of Surfrider Foundation disposable plastic bottles with Europe’s recommendations to limit reusable, sustainable alternatives. the number of plastic bottles ending up in the environment. This campaign has also been devised to help citizens embracing the concept of the circular economy that should be applied over the entire lifecycle of plastic bottles, from design to disposal.

5 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles

Summary of recommendations 1. 2. Improve Reduce the eco-design the production of plastic bottles of plastic bottles

. Run an awareness and . Dialogue with industrial information campaign to stakeholders to come up with the intention of consumers on new policies to produce water bottles the issue of eco-design. by focusing on large containers (1 L and more). . Optimise eco-design and the sustainable production of . Ban the production of plastic water plastic bottles. bottles containing less than 50 cL. . Impose an environmental impact and sustainability study prior to authorising the commercialisation of new products.

6 Summary of recommendations

3. 4. 5. Reduce Reduce Improve the distribution the consumption the end-of-life of plastic bottles of plastic bottles management of plastic bottles . Encourage public institutions . Inform and educate as to the to stop using disposable plastic pollution caused by plastic bottles, containers for drinking water and the potential negative health . Inform, reach out and educate (bottles and cups) by 2020, replacing effects and run campaigns to to raise the awareness of the general then with reusable alternatives. the intention of the general public public as to sorting, collecting, during World Water Day or during the deposit-return systems and Put in place tax initiatives . European Week for Waste Reduction. recycling waste. to encourage distributors to limit the sale of disposable plastic bottles, . Encourage reusable alternatives . Set a binding target of 100% preferring instead to sell reusable and public water fountains during of plastic bottles recycled by 2030. containers. special events (bicentenary of the . Reinforce, at EU level, the Wallace fountains), major sporting Encourage the installation of extended responsibility of the . events (Olympic Games, French water fountains in stores and concerned economic stakeholders Tennis Open, etc.), and in schools. at festive and sporting events. (manufacturers, distributors and Support and guarantee the importers) by promoting a system Ban the use of plastic water . . provision of good-quality tap water of Extended Producer Responsibility bottles in cafés, hotels and in the EU, by making these principles channels for plastic packaging, restaurants, to be replaced part of the EU Drinking Water including bottles. by returnable bottles and jugs. Directive.

7 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles

8 Contents

Contents

10 16 Surfrider How can Foundation we prevent more Europe: 27 years plastic bottles combatting from ending up Marine Litter in the ocean?

12 Rise above plastics campaigns 18 1. Improve the eco-design of plastic bottles

13 2017: A new Reset Your Habits campaign 22 2. Reduce the production of plastic bottles

14 Surfrider is calling out... 24 3. Reduce the Distribution of Plastic Bottles

28 4. Reduce the consumption of plastic bottles

32 5. Improve the end-of-life management of plastic bottles

9 10 Surfrider Foundation Europe: 27 years combating Marine Litter

11 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles

Rise above plastics campaigns

Every year, between 10 Under the combined effects of The NGO has been particularly active ultraviolet radiation and the in major awareness and mobilisation and 15 million tonnes of mechanical abrasion of sea campaigns such as Ban the Bag waste end up in the ocean, waves, plastic waste breaks up (against disposable plastic bags) of which 60% to 90% is and decomposes3 into micro- or and Beat the Microbead (against nanoplastics, depending on their micro-plastics found in cosmetics, 1, comprised of plastic waste size4. These have seriously negative cleaning and healthcare products). a figure on the constant impacts on marine organisms Surfrider Foundation Europe also increase since a direct who swallow them and can die develops its expertise regarding the of asphyxiation or intestinal origin and nature of marine litter by reflection of our production obstruction. As things stand, running participatory science and and consumer modes, uncertainties exist as to the impact, scientific programs such as the Ocean where plastic occupies a on the environment and on humans Initiatives program, sponsored by and animals, of chemical elements the European Commission in 2013, preponderant and growing adsorbed and released by plastic the Riverine Input programme and a position. To see this, one waste. For example, it has been network to monitor waste on beach need only consider that the proven that micro-plastics attract thanks to the implementation of the and absorb persistent organic OSPAR Convention (OSPAR, Marine global production of plastic pollutants (POP), already present Strategy Framework Directive). grew from 1.5 tonnes per in the environment, such as PCBs year in 1950 to 322 tonnes and DDT. Scientific research at In order to consolidate its actions, the University of Tokyo has shown Surfrider Foundation Europe joined 2. per year in 2015 that some POPs were to be found forces with about 100 organisations in seabird tissue after they had involved in the “Break Free from swallowed micro-plastics carrying Plastic” international movement, these pollutants. As a result, doing so right from when the scientists are concerned that, in the movement was founded in 2016. SFE future, POPs could end up in the food co-founded the “Rethink Plastic” EU chain. A recent report prepared by alliance to incite EU institutions to the Food and Agriculture take concrete measures for a future Organization (FAO) listed 121 species with no plastic pollution. of seafood readily available on sale that ingest micro-plastics5.

Faced with this plight, Surfrider Foundation Europe (SFE) has, for 27 years now, been active in about a dozen European countries, supported by over 120,000 volunteers, working together to preserve oceans and coastlines, and reduce plastic waste.

1 Barnes et al., 2009; Thompson et al., 2004; Ryan et al., 2009 2 PlasticsEurope 3 Cózar et al., 2014 4 Microplastics, which are pieces of plastic less than 5 mm in size, can also be introduced directly into the marine environment, for example, through wastewater networks in the case of fibres from clothing. 5 FAO, Microplastics in fisheries and aquaculture Status of knowledge on their occurrence and implications for aquatic organisms and food safety, http://www.fao.org/3/a-i7677e.pdf

12 Surfrider Foundation Europe, 27 years combating Marine Litter

2017 : A new Reset Your Habits campaign

In 2017, Surfrider Building on this alarming status Action levers code, Surfrider Foundation Europe Foundation Europe decided to launch a new campaign: of the campaign has been focusing on “Reset Your Habits: reusable bottles disposable plastic bottles. can make the difference”, a campaign designed to raise awareness, mobilise A symptom of mass and reach out to all to reduce, at consumption and over- source, the pollution caused by packaging, plastic bottles, plastic bottles. The purpose of the Awareness campaign is to prevent new plastic originally containing items from entering the environment Inform the public as to the problems water or other drinks, and by initiating broad and deep societal caused by plastic bottle pollution. their tops, are amongst and behavioural change, with disposables discontinued to the the top 10 items that end benefit of reusables. In particular, the up on our coastline and in campaign focuses on water bottles the aquatic environment. since they account for most of the plastic waste ending up in our rivers, 20,000 plastic bottles are along our coastlines and in aquatic Mobilisation collected each year as part environments. In Europe, 55 billion of the Ocean Initiatives litres of bottled water are consumed Get people to change their behaviour on average each year7, corresponding so as to reduce the use of plastic 6 alone. programs to almost 1 million tonnes of plastic. bottles and embrace sustainable All this waste could be avoided by alternatives. means of a reusable water bottle.

Reset Your Habits is about rethinking the entire lifecycle of plastic water bottles from eco-design to end-of-life management. The circular economy Lobby can serve as a mean to unburden ourselves of a linear economic model Have more stringent regulations and based on the extraction of raw engage in advocacy at national and materials, followed by the production EU level to reduce plastic bottles at of an item and then its disposal, to source, establish dialogue with drinks embrace instead a virtuous cycle, industrialists (manufacturers and based on an optimisation of resources distributors) and encourage reusable and raw materials, and including eco- and sustainable alternatives. design and recycling.

6 Based on report forms completed, Environmental Report of the Ocean Initiatives of Surfrider Foundation Europe : www.oceaninitiatives.org/en/resources/reports 8 Report on Natural and Sparkling Mineral Water - European Federation of Bottled Waters, 2016, www.efbw.org

13 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles

Surfrider is calling out...

This White Paper sets out a number At international level, one notes Currently, the European Union is of action levers and concrete an increasing awareness of marine finalising its «Strategy on Plastics measures to prevent new plastic pollution caused by plastic, as can be in a Circular Economy”, which is bottles from entering the ocean. seen in particular from the United an opportunity to revise its targets The Paper outlines the challenges Nations Sustainable Development upwards and adopt concrete actions of the Reset Your Habits campaign Goal 14 (“Conserve and Sustainably for the reduction of marine litter. targeting plastic bottles, and suggests Use the Oceans, Seas and Marine a number of solutions and actions to Resources”)8 and the G79 and G2010 Citizens, industrialists and mitigate plastic pollution at source. Action Plans on Marine Litter. politicians, we all have a role to play in getting plastic bottles out The Paper concerns mainly At EU level, the (Marine Strategy of our environment, by refusing plastic water bottles, since these Framework Directive (Directive single-use packaging, and by predominate consumption and waste 2008/57/EC) acknowledges marine rethinking its design, production volume. The recommendations made litter as a qualitative descriptor of method, consumption and end-of-life are however valid for all disposable the environmental status of marine management. bottles made from polyethylene waters. terephthalate (PET).

8 2030 Sustainable Development Program of the United Nation (UN General Assembly Resolution, 25 September 2015) 9 Action Plan to Combat Marine Litter - G7 Summit, 7-8 June 2015 10 Action Plan on Marine Litter - G20 Summit, 8 July 2017 Hamburg 2017 1. 2. Surfrider is calling Surfrider is calling out decision makers out decision makers and economic and industrialists stakeholders to reduce the to improve production of the eco-design plastic bottles. of plastic bottles. The bottled water industry offers To ensure an environmentally a disproportionate range of plastic responsible packaging of bottled packaging varying in size, density water, industrialists and public and material, even though a single authorities must work together reusable packaging would suffice. to market eco-designed bottles This packaging, accounting for 80% made using materials and to 90% of the price of the product, is production methods that are more a source of profit for the bottled water environmentally friendly and meet industry, to the detriment of the the requirements of a circular consumer and the environment that economy. suffer the harmful consequences.

14 Surfrider is calling out... 3. Surfrider is calling out public and private bodies to face up to their environmental responsibility in order to reduce 4. the distribution of plastic bottles. Surfrider is calling out consumers to We are here referring to distribution reduce their use in the broad sense: distribution done of plastic bottles. by public institutions and private companies that provide plastic The consumer has a key role to bottles inside their establishments, play in the fight against plastic and by supermarkets packed to waste. By adopting eco-responsible the rafters with plastic bottles. consumption habits, the consumer Plastic bottles cannot continue as can opt to replace single-use plastic 5. the preferred means to meet our packaging with a wide range of need for hydration, be this indoors reusable and sustainable alternatives Surfrider is calling or outdoors, given that alternative such as reusable water bottles out consumers, means of providing water exist. and water fountains. public authorities and industrialists to improve the end-of- life management of plastic bottles.

Just because a product can be recycled doesn’t mean that it actually is recycled. In fact, only 59% of the bottles are collected in EU for recycling11 even though, since most are made of PET, they should all be recycled. We must now take measures to improve general-public information, collection, sorting, deposit-return and recycling systems to prevent these bottles from ending up in the environment.

11 “Nearly 59% of all bottles placed in the European market have been collected for recycling in 2015”- PCI Wood Mackenzie Annual Report on postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) collection and recycling in Europe, 2016

15 16 How can we prevent more plastic bottles from ending up in the ocean?

17 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles 1. Improve the eco-design of plastic bottles

The path that sees water get from the new model is based on the efficient source to the end-consumer should use of natural resources with a not be made of plastic. Preventing positive environmental, economic pollution from plastic bottles in the and social impact. This is reflected ocean does not mean drinking less in particular by an extension of water; rather, it means rethinking material flows (reuse, recycling) and and reducing the plastic packaging of the product’s life cycle (eco-design, that is causing environmental repair, reuse, recycling). damage. The Reset Your Habits campaign is calling on industrialists Reducing bottle waste means first to embrace a circular economy in and foremost rethinking water order to rethink how water is bottled, packaging, questioning its usefulness and on public authorities to support and favouring an eco-design based this new economic model. on a greener choice of materials and design, as well as on reuse and The goal of a circular economy is to sustainable transport of the product. break free from the linear production model that consists in extracting raw materials, manufacturing, consuming and then discarding, in order to adopt a virtuous cycle of value creation. Inspired by natural ecosystems, this

18 1. Improve the eco-design of plastic bottles

Proposals of Surfrider Foundation Europe The main drivers of change . Public Authorities . Enterprises . Consumers

Run an awareness and Inspired by biomimicry, «products Impose an environmental information campaign to are seen as flows of materials and impact and sustainability energy that are reinjected into the intention of consumers study prior to authorising successive virtuous loops (organic or on the issue of eco-design technical)»12. the commercialisation of new products The environmental impact of a PET plastic bottles, by the very product from production to final nature of their material, are designed Faced with the growing development consumer is a criterion for sensitised to be recycled. Nevertheless, they of new materials and products, and and committed consumers. However, are not sustainable. Their effective in order to avoid false solutions, the lack of clarity and information duration of use, from a few minutes the European Union should require about this criterion is preventing to a few hours depending on how that an environmental impact and its widespread use. If citizens are long the consumer takes to empty sustainability study be carried out to make an informed choice, they their bottle pales into insignificance prior to the commercialisation of must have clear information as to when one considers their durability, these new products, the results of the nature of the product, its means taking between 100 to 1000 years to which should determine whether or of production and impact on the decompose in the environment. not a market authorisation for the environment (natural resources, new products is granted. The Member energy efficiency), its transportation Thus, it is essential to optimise States should consider this study as and end-of-life management the eco-design of plastic bottles an essential requirement in the public (reuse, deposit-return system, in order to reduce their impact interest to protect the environment recycling). Information is an essential on the environment: rethink their calling for an analysis of the product requirement for the development usefulness, their material, their risks on the environment, doing so of eco-responsible consumption, duration of use, their recyclability. as part of the new extended producer a driver of the ecological transition. This also means not using toxic responsibility stemming from the products so as to make it possible to Circular Economy Package. To this end, public institutions, reuse and recycle the product, and to producers and distributors should use renewable energies. Green growth can offer solutions, run information and awareness but it is important to ensure that, campaigns to inform citizens as to We are calling on EU Member under the guise of intentions to the positive, ecological, economic States, as part of the Circular fight against waste pollution, new and social impacts of eco-design. Economy Package, to deploy materials and products do not act as This means boosting the promotion sufficient resources to encourage factors to provoke new or different of EU Ecolabels, , so that consumers the sustainable production of plastic risks, proven or potential, concerning find it easier to identify responsible bottles, in particular by setting up a other parameters of the ecosystem products. framework to supervise innovation (biodiversity, environment, climate and proper recovery channels. change). Optimise eco-design and The EU must do more to promote the sustainable production sustainable production (labels, 12 http://www.institut-economie- of plastic bottles awareness campaigns) and encourage circulaire.fr the reuse of secondary raw materials, Eco-design, in a circular economy, notably through tax incentives. means to design products with limited impact throughout their life cycle: raw material, usage, lifetime, repair, recycling and final treatment.

19 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles

20 1. Improve the eco-design of plastic bottles

Conclusion

To improve the eco-design of plasticC bottles is to: . Run an awareness and information campaign to the intention of consumers on the issue of eco-design.

. Optimise eco-design and the sustainable production of plastic bottles.

. Impose an environmental impact and sustainability study prior to authorising the commercialisation of new products.

21 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles 2. Reduce the production of plastic bottles

Industrialists from the water and beverages sector meet in a consortium to develop a marketing strategy for plastic packaging, constantly renewed, diversified and multiplied. This runs against the current rising global awareness of marine pollution caused by plastic.

Water, essential for life, is the most consumed drink but once bottled, its container can become a major source of pollution though the packaging of the water may be necessary for its transport, this does not justify putting every single drop of water inside a plastic container.

To limit the production of waste associated with plastic bottles, we need to limit the production of plastic bottles themselves. This should start by discontinuing smaller volumes, where serious questions persist as to the purpose of their production given their very low level of utility and their strong impact on the marine environment.

22 2. Reduce the production of plastic bottles

Proposals of Surfrider Foundation Europe The main drivers of change . Public authorities . Industrialists . Consumers

Dialogue with industrial Ban the production of stakeholders to come plastic water bottles Conclusion up with new policies to containing less than 50 cL To reduce the production produce water bottles of plastic bottles is to: by focusing on large We are calling on public authorities containers to embrace their environmental . Dialogue with industrial responsibility by banning plastic stakeholders to come up with new In order to comply with the bottles that generate so much waste. policies to produce water bottles regulations in force, some by focusing on large containers manufacturers are making efforts We are in favour of bringing in a ban (1 L and more). to lighten their packaging and on smaller bottle volumes (less than C reduce the amount of plastic used. 50 cL) and of facilitating the provision . Ban the production of plastic water However, this remains insufficient of large volumes. This would require bottles containing less than 50 cL. to have overall effective results on new regulations at local, regional or the environment. For this to happen, national level. At EU level, this ban we need to reduce the packaging could be part of: itself. This implies discontinuing • The EU Strategy to reduce Plastic the production of smaller volumes Waste regarding the reduction of (20 cL, 25 cL, 33 cL) to the benefit of single-use plastics. large volumes (1 L and more), and • A new directive specific to making overall changes to how water single-use plastics banning certain is packaged. items such as small-volume plastic bottles, based on a model similar We are looking to engage in to the Directive 2015/720 regarding constructive dialogue bringing the reduction of consumption of together bottled water industrialists, lightweight plastic carrier bags. manufacturers of alternatives, public • The future review of the drinking authorities, civil society, and any water directive (Directive 98/83/ other interested parties, to exchange EC) ideas as to good practices and • A new review of the Directive encourage the industry to modify 2009/54/EC on the exploitation and reduce their product ranges and marketing of natural mineral by focusing on eco-responsible waters. packaging and spring water fountains.

2317 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles 3. Reduce the distribution of plastic bottles

Plastic bottles are an integral part of our personal and professional lives. They are distributed or sold to excess at the workplace, inside private and public institutions and at sporting, festive, or trade events, as well as in supermarkets.

However, given that eco-responsible alternatives exist, the economic actors and public authorities that distribute these polluting containers have a key role to play in reducing the distribution of plastic bottles.

We are urging them to switch to reusable containers (water bottles, reusable cups, water jugs, deposit- return system, etc.) and alternative modes of water distribution (water fountains, bulk formats).

International meetings bringing together thousands of influential players on the international scene such as the Conferences of Parties (COP), the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and the G20 have chosen to switch from plastic bottles to reusable containers, in a gesture that proves that this transition is possible and indeed even appreciated by consumers.

24 3. Reduce the distribution of plastic bottles

Proposals of Surfrider Foundation Europe The main drivers of change . Public authorities . Enterprises and Private Organisations . Consumers

Encourage public Bring in tax initiatives to their capacity as representatives, have institutions to stop to lead by example in reducing waste, encourage distributors to using disposable plastic and in particular, single-use plastics, limit the sale of single-use containers for drinking including bottles. This implies using disposable plastic bottles, water (bottles and cups) by more sustainable water-distribution and to promote reusable 2020, replacing them with methods such as water jugs, water containers. fountains and possibly glass bottles in reusable alternatives. beverage dispensers. Plastic bottles have a high ecological cost that ought to be passed on The Reset Your Habits campaign The European Commission, during to the product itself in order to stresses the importance for public the 2017 “Our Ocean” conference heighten awareness of its real cost institutions and private companies, made a step in this direction by and environmental impact. Various key players in the ecological banning plastic cups inside its types of tax incentives could provide transition, to set the example and buildings13. However, the action could an answer here: a tax on waste- show, to their employees and to the be more ambitious and effective by generating products, at tax on luxury general public, the path leading to an completely banning plastic bottles, goods (bottled water costs almost 100 eco-responsible society. as is already the case in Hamburg to 300 times more than water from (Germany). Such commitments can the tap), a special VAT rate, or a fee As part of the EU’s ecological be written into the internal rules of paid to the municipality. The funds transition, we are urging public the institutions or be brought in by so collected could be used to finance institutions to discontinue, by no means of a charter of eco-responsible access to water and enhance the later than 2020, the free distribution commitments. This approach quality of the drinking water. or selling of plastic bottles, be this in should also be embraced by private the workplace or in the various events companies as part of their social and To apply to single-use plastic bottles organised or sponsored by these environmental responsibility. their real cost, including all of institutions. Public authorities, in their external features, would also

13 Commitments of the Our Ocean conference: http://ourocean2017.org/our-ocean-commitments

25 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles

encourage setting up deposit-return responsibility, should also bring in systems to optimise the recovery of measures to reduce plastic bottles these items and prevent them from (water fountains, reusable cups, ending up in the environment. deposit-return system)

In addition, financial incentives to use more durable and reusable containers Ban the use of plastic water instead of single-use packaging bottles in bars, cafés, hotels would be an efficient action lever to and restaurants stimulate change in consumer habits.

The drive to reduce waste and Encourage the installation single-use plastic packaging also of water fountains in stores concerns the food sector, which and at festive and sporting includes bars, cafés, hotels and restaurants. Indeed, this particular events. service network distributes hundreds of litres of bottled water each day. Large-scale sports or leisure events Given that these establishments typically mean large numbers of could set up a specific waste- people consuming large quantities collection system, they should of water. However, this does not replace single-use plastic bottles with necessarily have to lead to a massive jugs, filtered water or glass bottles. distribution of plastic bottles. The Regarding specifically the latter, a organisers should prioritise water- deposit-return system could be set up supply methods that are more eco- with the supplier, which would have responsible, and raise the awareness an immediate and positive impact, of participants as to the matter of both ecologically and economically. on-site waste. This would also stimulate the local economy. Such a system has already We are urging the installation of proven itself in Belgium, Germany deposit-return systems for reusable and France. bottles and/or cups, as well as water points, and waste-collection and sorting systems (in particular bottles to be recycled) at all events. We are also recommending that participants be allowed to bring reusable containers with them into the event by making environmental requirements and security standards compatible.

These measures feature in the charters of eco-responsible events and in international certifications (ISO 20121) thus contributing to the positive impact of events (reduction of waste and of energy consumption) by means of eco-responsible management, which should be systematically applied.

Public places and areas (shopping centres, cinemas, performance venues), under their environmental

26 3. Reduce the distribution of plastic bottles

ConclusionC To reduce the distribution of plastic bottles is to:

. Encourage public institutions to stop using disposable plastic containers for drinking water (bottles and cups) by 2020, replacing them with reusable alternatives.

. Bring in tax initiatives to encourage distributors to limit the sale of single-use disposable plastic bottles, and to promote reusable containers.

. Encourage the installation of water fountains in stores and at festive and sporting events.

. Ban the use of plastic water bottles in cafés, hotels and restaurants, to be replaced by returnable bottles and jugs

27 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles 4. Reduce the consumption of plastic bottles

Cutting down on plastic bottles means reducing the consumption of single-use objects that generate waste. The bottled water industry offers a wide range of bottle volumes to meet the so-called “types of thirst” of consumers. In response, it should be possible for customers to refuse the packaging, used for branding purposes, in favour of its content, namely water or some other drink.

The Reset Your Habits campaign wants to see consumers become active players in their choice of consumption, and limit their ecological footprint by reducing the quantity of packaging they use. By thus modifying the demand, the consumer can modify the available offer, and stimulate the creation of products that are more environmentally friendly.

Public authorities have a role to play in promoting and supporting eco-responsible consumption. They should provide consumers with clear information on waste-generating products and their impacts, and make sustainable and accessible alternatives available to consumers. In the case of water bottles, this means promoting reusable containers, as well as facilitating access to good-quality drinking water in public places.

28 4. Reduce the consumption of plastic bottles

Proposals of Surfrider Foundation Europe The main drivers of change . Public authorities . Consumers

Inform and educate as In addition, the European Union must about a participatory communication to the pollution caused prevent risks to human health caused campaign on social networks by plastic bottles by plastic. Under the effect of heat, focussing on good practices and there is a thermal degradation of citizens who embrace these practices, A change in consumer behaviour can plastics that release chemical agents such as water bottles reusable for life, only last if it is perceived as necessary such as Bisphenol A (BPA) and other and alternatives to the consumption by the consumer concerned. It is phthalates, and endocrine disruptors of hundreds of bottles of plastic each therefore essential to inform and recognised for the risks they pose, year. educate people as to the growing in particular to the human hormonal pollution threat posed by plastic system. This involves identifying The campaign highlights these bottles. and having the European Chemicals solutions and encourages public Agency (ECHA) formally acknowledge authorities to promote reusable The Reset Your Habits campaign substances harmful to human health containers, especially in schools and provides the general public with under the EU Regulation 1907/2006 at large-scale sporting and festive communication and educational tools concerning the Registration, events, such as the Olympic Games, as well as awareness-raising activities Evaluation, Authorisation and major sports competitions and in order to provide information on Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), as festivals. consumption, environmental impact it is the case for BPA15. In accordance and alternatives to plastic bottles. with the precautionary principle, EU Public authorities also have a major regulations must be strengthened to role to play in increasing the number This information role also falls to oblige manufacturers to review the of water fountains in public places public authorities as part of the composition of plastic bottles and to and events (parks, squares, streets, right to environmental information prevent the risks associated with the train stations, etc.) with the aim of (Aarhus Convention 1998) and degradation of plastics. reducing this global phenomenon their responsibility to protect the of dependence on disposable plastic environment (Article 11 Treaty on the water bottles. This need is widely Functioning of the European Union14). Promote alternative echoed by citizens, as could be seen Concretely, this can mean running solutions from the 2015 participatory budget general public information and for Paris.16 awareness campaigns in association The omnipresence of plastic bottles with special events (World Water on the market diverts the attention Another action could be a campaign Day, The European Week for Waste of consumers from many alternatives to promote water fountains, for Reduction), but also developing accessible to all, more durable and example, as part of the bicentenary educational activities inside schools. economic. Reset Your Habits is also of the Wallace Fountains in 2018.

14 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Article 11 (ex Article 6 TEC) : “Environmental protection requirements must be integrated into the definition and implementation of the Union’s policies and activities, in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development” » 15 MSC unanimously agrees that Bisphenol A is an endocrine disruptor, ECHA/PR/17/12, Helsinki, 16 June 2017 16 See winning project at the participatory budget of Paris 2015: https://budgetparticipatif.paris.fr/bp/jsp/site/Portal.jsp?document_id=3036&portlet_id=171

29 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles

Such actions could be stimulated through tax incentives.

Support and guarantee the provision of good- quality tap water

Promoting the use of water fountains and tap water implies giving a guarantee that it will always be of good quality. Even though drinking water is widely available in the EU, fears remain as to the quality of tap water. Therefore, it is up to public authorities to invest in water- purification systems that are ever more efficient and reassure people as to the consumption of tap water, which is just as good for the health as mineral water.

It is worth bearing in mind that the first successful European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) was the Right2Water Initiative, gathering, to date, 1,884,790 signatures around a key principle: “The Human Right to Water and Sanitation”.

In the same way as the citizens who signed the Right2Water Initiative and in view of the European Union’s obligation to respond to this civic movement by significantly amending the Directive 98/83/EC on drinking water, we are calling on the European Commission and the Member States to intensify their efforts to ensure universal access to water and sanitation. This is an essential prerequisite to human life and to a world without pollution caused by plastic bottles.

30 4. Reduce the consumption of plastic bottles

ConclusionC To reduce the consumption of plastic bottles is to:

. Inform and educate as to the pollution caused by plastic bottles, and the potentially negative health effects: run campaigns to the intention of the general public during World Water Day or during the European Week for Waste Reduction.

. Encourage reusable alternatives and public water fountains during special events (bicentenary of the Wallace fountains), major sporting events (Olympic Games, French Tennis Open, etc.), and in schools.

. Support and guarantee the provision of good-quality tap water in the EU, by making these principles part of the EU Drinking Water Directive.

31 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles 5. Improve the end-of-life management of plastic bottles

One million plastic bottles are purchased every minute in the world17, most of which will end up in the ocean, where they will need between 100 to 1000 years to decompose depending on the surrounding marine environment.

The single-use plastic bottle commonly used to transport and market water and other beverages is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is a 100% recyclable plastic. In theory, this recyclability meets the requirements of a circular economy, in that the plastic bottle is supposed to be collected and recycled after use, and then reinjected into other production circuits. However, a large number of plastic bottles are never recycled – most end up being burnt or in landfills.

The Reset Your Habits campaign is calling for the optimisation of waste management systems, in order to improve their end-of-life management, thanks to a thorough and collaborative work between distributors, accredited bodies, local authorities and citizens.

17 The Guardian, A million bottles a minute: world’s plastic binge ‘as dangerous as climate change’, 28 June 2017

32 5. Improve the end-of-life management of plastic bottles

Proposals of Surfrider Foundation Europe The main drivers of change . Public authorities . Enterprises . Consumers

Inform, reach out and waste is treated, enterprises (waste Set a binding a target educate to raise the producers), public institutions and of 100% of plastic bottles other bodies in charge of waste awareness of the general recycled by 2030 management (eco-organisations, public as to sorting, collectors, recyclers) should run collecting, deposit-return awareness and education campaigns If giving up plastic bottles is too much systems and recycling about waste sorting. to ask, then at least they should be waste. recycled. PET plastic bottles are 100% The purpose of these campaigns recyclable; therefore, they should l City waste (household and business) would be to enable citizens to be 100% recycled. This requires represents 10% of the waste produced properly interpret waste-sorting improving collection and sorting in the European Union18, and citizens instructions, and understand the systems, one aspect of which is more have a role to play in the treatment various phases of waste treatment efficient waste-treatment centres of their waste. The Reset Your Habits (re-use, composting, recycling, with proper infrastructures. campaign reminds consumers of the incineration, landfill) and their need to reduce and reuse, but also ecological impacts. This would be A recyclable bottle should not be to sort and return plastic bottles for particularly in line with the objectives burned nor used as landfill. As part of recycling. These are simple eco- of the European Union to improve the Strategy on Plastics in a Circular gestures that should become part the management of waste on its Economy, the European Union of consumer habits to prevent these territory (Directive 2008/98/EC on should raise the recycling targets for bottles from being thrown directly waste). This could also consist in plastics, and set a target of 100% of into the environment or cascaded by creating and disseminating digital- plastic bottles recycled by 2030. not being recycled. communications tools, educational tools, specific educational programs, This demand meets a pressing In order to pass on the proper sorting or training courses on the topic of environmental requirement to gestures, and to enable each and waste management. remove waste thrown directly into all to understand how and why our the wild, but also the obligation of

18 Eurostat

3317 White paper for an ocean free from plastic bottles

the bottled water industry to increase Promote extended producer In this respect, the Member States the recycling of their products. responsibility (EPR) must, in implementing the new regime established by the Circular and extended producer The optimisation of the collection of Economy Package, take all the plastic bottles for recycling requires responsibility channels by necessary measures to develop that Member States, as part of the strengthening the polluter- efficient channels to recover implementation of the Circular payer principle and reuse and/or recycle plastic Economy Package, deploy the packaging, and in particular plastic necessary resources to: bottles. These measures must be C Extended producer responsibility, accompanied by sanctions in order to • provide clear information on the which derives from the polluter-payer make them more effective. end-of-life management of the principle, obliges manufacturers, product so that the citizen knows distributors (of their own products) This would encourage enterprises exactly what to do with it after use. and importers, who place waste- to reduce their bottle production, generating products on the market, to particularly small containers, improve • improve labelling and sorting handle the resulting waste, including their recycling and eco-design so as instructions. bearing the cost. EPR aims to to reduce the cost of managing this stimulate recycling and eco-design by waste. • provide citizens with waste- including, in the initial selling price, sorting bins and/or deposit-return the complete cost of managing the systems in public places. product.

The plastic bottle is no exception to the rule: 80% to 90% of the cost of a bottle of water is suitable to its packaging, a generator of waste move.

34 5. Improve the end-of-life management of plastic bottles

Conclusion

To improve the end-of- life managementC of plastic bottles is to:

. Inform, reach out and educate to raise the awareness of the general public as to sorting, collecting, deposit-return systems and recycling waste.

. Set a binding target of 100% of plastic bottles recycled by 2030

. Reinforce, at EU level, the extended responsibility of the concerned economic stakeholders (manufacturers, distributors and importers) by promoting a system of Extended Producer Responsibility channels for plastic packaging, including bottles.

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